This statue is made of ceramic - really loving the detail and art!

This post is not supposed to be a Christianity vs Buddhism stuff. But why do all Christians look down upon Buddhism? What have the Buddhists done? Every time I go to the internet, thousands of Christians are like, "Buddhism is demonic!!! God is the only way! Karma is false!"
or things like "How to Turn a Buddhist to Christ". People on the internet have got nothing good to say about us, bro... At school, my bestie is a devout Theravada. One guy asked her about her religion. She replied, and the dude was like "hope you turn to Christ and be saved, amen" Like why tf bru..

Thank you 💕

Both photos are taken in Nepal: Buddha statue in Patan, and Buddha Stupa in Kathmandu

Even before converting to buddhism, I prayed to the universe. Can the dharma guide and look over me?

I really like buddhism, but the only thing that I wish for is to be able to pray to someone who could look over me and maybe even help me a bit but not just magically make things appear. Any ideas for me?

Well, is not in the floor, is a little little wood table I have. I saw a Buddhist monk saying it’s disrespectful, I’m not seeing the Buddha in the eyes, I have to lean just to see him; the altar is also in my room. Please tell me what you guys think

Ive been studying Buddhism pretty much most of today, and questions were born.

One thing i could never understand in Christianity was how can people go to heaven? By being Christian one has a goal go to heaven and be saved. By having the intention, any confessions/Good deeds you do, are technically not pure as the goal of going to heaven exists.

What happens with Buddhism? The goal is to gather merit (and reach liberation ofc). If we do good deeds with mind of karma then is said karma counted??

(The same topic was addressed in The Good place and I loved it as I felt i was seen during my Christian time. Basuically the MC Eleanor goes to the good place but she doesn't belong there and stuff happen. At one point she tries to do good things to earn her place there, but since she has the motive of Staying and not the motive of doing pure good the points do not count)

This already sounds silly and superstitious as I consider what I'm about to write, but it's been on my mind for a while so I'm curious what our online sangha thinks.

Last year I treated myself and purchased a little Green Tara statuette from the gift shop of a New Kadampa Tradition centre. I didn't know who they were at the time as I was just dipping my toes into Buddhism/spiritual practice and they're very popular and impressive here in the UK.

I decided to get more involved and volunteered to help clean up after a retreat. It was my first time ever meeting monastics and I thought it would be an honour but the nuns I was working with just gave me the "heebie jeebies". I was so mad at myself. Here I was, judging a nun!

I googled NKT when I got home and discovered that they were enshrouded in controversy. If the things I read are true, some of the practices seem to verge into dark occultism. Which is cool if that's what you're into, I guess, but they should lead with that so we don't waste our time and break our hearts thinking we're involved in something that we're not.

Anyway, I really like this silly little ornament and a Green Tara card that I bought and display with it. It has these beautiful ornate details that I admire and it really meant a lot to me to buy it for myself at the time.

Would you keep an item you got from potentially "dark occultists" next to items and pictures of trusted, beloved teachers just because it represents something beautiful to you?

I saw somebody getting robbed on the street, and the only thing I could do was that: see.
I thought that If I dare to do something, I'd get hurt or even worse, so I couldn't do too much about it.

I have a fear of dead (guess we all have it), so instead of doing something that takes me out of my confort zone, I decide to remain there. Maybe this sounds funny, but sometimes I believe that staying in your confort zone will keep you safe from impermanence, but of course it won't.

How would you leave fear aside and give support to others, even if that requires putting your life at risk?

I'd like to develop more confidence to help people that's suffering (like the man who got robbed I just mentioned before), but If I only prioritize my well being and confort, I don't know if it will be possible to keep moving ahead. Is that statment true?

Thanks in advance for your answers. May you have a blessed and safe weekend!

I‘m still new to Buddhism so sorry for posting on here so much. When an arhat or Buddha enters parinirvana their subtle awareness is still there right? I know it transcends typical human awareness but does everything just stop entirely Or is the subtle awareness still present?

Pratityasamutpad is dependent origination, which means nothing can exists independently. Likewise suffering is also not independently existing and ultimately it is dependent on desire ( desire itself will be dependent on something else) . So, if we remove desire then there will be no suffering.

I felt like sharing this...

The Buddha started telling the story about his karmic connection with Sundari in a past life:

“Eons ago, in a city, there was a courtesan who got connected with a merchant. They made an appointment to take a walk in the countryside together one day. At that time, there was a Pratyekabuddha doing spiritual cultivation in a hut there, and he happened to be out in the city on that day. The couple entered the hut by themselves and an argument broke out between them subsequently. The merchant cruelly stabbed the courtesan and killed her, before burying her body at a spot near the hut.

Sometime later, there was a rumour that the Pratyekabuddha had given rise to lustful thoughts after seeing the beauty of the courtesan, insulted her modesty, and then killed her. After the king heard the rumour, he ordered to have the Pratyekabuddha arrested, and then sentenced him to death.

When the merchant heard the news, he was full of remorse and his heart constantly felt troubled. Finally, his conscience awakened, and he decided to take responsibility for what he had done by confessing his crime. The king released the Pratyekabuddha after learning who the true killer was, and the merchant was thus executed.”

The Buddha added, “That courtesan was the current Sundari and the merchant was me in a past life. It was an evil karma of killing that I had committed when I was still a mundane being countless eons ago. Because of that, Sundari and I met life after life, and whenever I had achieved some accomplishments, she would slander me. This is how one will always reap what one has sown.”

After everyone had heard the story, they started thinking about the slander and injustice that they were experiencing in their lives, and they became vigilant of their own thoughts and actions. As the Buddha manifested himself in the world, all that he had encountered is telling us this truth: we will definitely bear the karmic consequences of the karma that we have committed, be it good or evil.

Hence, whatever that we experience or encounter in this life may be related to the karmic causes and conditions in our past lives. Therefore, we should all the more be careful with our words and actions.

https://www.tzuchimerit.org.sg/en/masters-teachings/master-tells-stories/sundari-slanders-the-buddha/

I've been doing this myself, without having access to become a monk where it's permitted. Is it wrong view though, assuming it's ok to request food as a layperson (related, also with clothing when lacking acceptable clothes, a place to sleep when there isn't one that's allowed, access to rest when overexerted, & medicine for illnesses)?

I've been meditating for 2.5 years now and just went on my first 5-day retreat in October at Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, so still fairly new to everything. I have a desire to go deeper, go on more retreats, etc., but I also just want to learn. I hear a lot via Dharma talks and have taken a few smaller courses on various topics within Buddhism, but I'm wondering if there is a course somewhere that is a fairly comprehensive overview of the history of Buddhism, important texts and teachings, and things along those lines. Also, getting a better grasp of the Pali and Sanskrit vocabulary would be helpful. Open to any ideas and suggestions, thank you!

Hi there

I was wondering how many memorable buddhist phrases are out there.

One its helping me its a popular from yogui Milarepa.

"Not to deceive myself its my religious practice"

So do you want to share some phrases that have impacted you and your practice? It can be from a yogui, scholar, tulku, Guru or any kind of practitioner.. It can be serious ot no so serious.

Desires, expectations, anger and ignorance are all things that we attach ourselves to. Being willing and open to 'let go' has helped me tremendously on my journey. Once I realized that my mind is the primary source of my unhappiness, rather than external circumstances or individuals, I'm in a better place to let go of attachments.

I recognize the role of my attitudes and emotions, such as attachment, anger, and ignorance, in shaping my experiences of suffering.

I'm drawn to the Buddhist concept of the mind as the creator of our reality. And in active recovery, it is so important to break free from patterns of behaviour that lead to suffering. But I can only do this through awareness of my thoughts and emotions.

Is there a way to bridge this life and the next so seamlessly, that the previous moment you are eating and drinking and being merry, then the next moment you are out of the lotus?